By the Associated Press
Accord-signing ceremony at the White House
Friday, October 23, 1998

CLINTON: Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President, Madam Secretary, Your Majesty, Prime Minister Netanyahu, Chairman Arafat.

To the Israeli and Palestinian delegations, the members of Congress and the Cabinet, members of the diplomatic corps, my fellow Americans who are here, it's a great honor for me to welcome you here. I only wish the first lady were here as well. She is in Chicago. We talked a few moments ago and she sends her great happiness and best wishes, especially to Queen Noor and Mrs. Netanyahu.

After some very difficult negotiations, very long and I say quite sleepless, the Israelis and Palestinians here have reached an agreement on issues over which they had been divided for more than 17 months.

This agreement is designed to rebuild trust and a new hope for peace between the parties. Now both sides must build on that hope, carry out their commitments, begin the difficult but urgent journey toward a permanent settlement.

Over the last nine days, I have witnessed extraordinary efforts on behalf of peace. I thank our team, beginning with its head, the secretary of state, who showed remarkable creativity, strength and patience. And I thank the vice president for his interventions. I thank my good friend Sandy Berger; our director of Central Intelligence, George Tenet, who had an unusual, almost unprecedented, role to play because of the security considerations; Special Middle East Coordinator, Dennis Ross, who was a young man with no gray hair when all this began.

I thank all the other outstanding members of our delegation. I thank Prime Minister Netanyahu, who stood so firmly for the security of his citizens and of his country, and of the impressive members of his Cabinet and administration.

I thank Chairman Arafat, who tenaciously defended the interests of his people, and the very impressive members of his team as well.

In the end, after all the twists and turns and ups and downs, all their late and ultimately sleepless nights, both reaffirmed their commitment to the path of peace. And for that, the world can be grateful.

And finally, let me thank His Majesty King Hussein, whose courage, commitment, wisdom, and frankly, stern instruction at appropriate times were at the heart of this success. Your Majesty, we are all profoundly in your debt.

This agreement is good for Israel's security. The commitments made by the Palestinians were very strong, as strong as any we have ever seen. They include continuous security cooperation with Israel and a comprehensive plan against terrorism and its support infrastructure.

This agreement is good for the political and economic well-being of Palestinians. It significantly expands areas under Palestinian Authority to some 40 percent of the West Bank. It also offers the Palestinian people new economic opportunities. With an airport, an industrial zone, soon safe passage between Gaza and the West Bank, and in time, a seaport, the Palestinian people will be able to breathe a little easier and benefit from the fruits of peace.

Most importantly perhaps, this agreement is actually good for the peace process itself.

For 18 months, it has been paralyzed -- the victim of mistrust, misunderstanding and fear. Now ordinary Israelis and Palestinians once again can become partners for peace.

To bolster this effort, Chairman Arafat will invite members of the Palestinian National Council and other important political entities to reaffirm his prior commitments and their support for the peace process. I have agreed to address that meeting, several weeks hence, and to underscore the values of reconciliation, tolerance and respect, and my support for those commitments and this process.

People around the world should heartened by this achievement today.

These leaders and those with whom they've worked have come a very long way. The Israeli and Palestinian peoples whose bitter rivalry in this century has brought so much suffering to both sides have moved yet another step closer toward fulfilling the promise of the Oslo accords, closer to the day when they can live peacefully as true neighbors with security, prosperity, self-governance, cooperation, and eventually, God willing, genuine friendship.

No doubt as peace gains momentum, forces of hate, no matter how isolated and desperate, will once again lash out. They know this, the leaders, and they are prepared to face it.

Staying on the path of peace under these circumstances will demand even greater leadership and courage. The work at Wye River shows what can happen when the will for peace is strong.

But let me say once again to all the rest of you, everyone who is tempted to handicap every little twist and turn over the last nine days, you need to know one overwhelming thing: The prime minister and the chairman and the members of their delegation who supported this process, even when there were things about it they did not agree with, are quite well aware that the enemies of peace will seek to extract a price from both sides. They are quite well aware that in the short run they themselves may have put themselves at greater risk.

But by pledging themselves to the peaceful course for the future, to the same values, and ultimately to the same enemies, they have given both Israelis and Palestinians a chance to have the future we all want for our children and our children's children.

Every effort will have to be exerted to ensure the faithful implementation of this agreement -- not because the parties do not want to do so, but because the agreement covers many things, was developed over many days, involved many discussions and sleepless nights.

It will test whether the Palestinian people are prepared to live in peace, recognizing Israel's permanence, legitimacy and a common interest in security.

It will tell us whether Israelis want to help build a strong Palestinian entity that can fulfill the aspirations of its people and provide both real security and real partnership for Palestinians and Israelis.

The United States is determined to be of whatever help we can to both sides in their endeavors. I will consult with Congress to design a package of aid to help Israel meet the security costs of redeployment and help the Palestinian authority meet the economic costs of development. I hope we will have support from Republicans and Democrats in that endeavor.

With respect to Mr. Pollard, I have agreed to review this matter seriously at the prime minister's request. I have made no commitment as to the outcome of the review.

Ultimately, the parties will have to translate the gains of Wye River into renewed efforts to secure a just and lasting peace, for as big a step as today is -- and after 17 months, it is a very large step indeed -- it is just another step along the way. Therefore, perhaps as important as any other statement to be made today, let me say how grateful I am that the prime minister and the chairman have agreed to begin permanent status talks upon ratification of this agreement.

I have agreed to convene the two leaders at an appropriate time to seek to complete these talks. We have all agreed to try to do it under circumstances which permit more sleep at night.

Let me say that no agreement can wipe away decades of distrust.

But I think these last several days have helped each side to get a better understanding of the other's hopes and fears, a better feel for all they have in common, including on occasion, thank the Lord, a good sense of humor.

The future can be bright for Israelis and Palestinians if they maintain the will for peace.

If they continue to work together, the next generation will grow up without fear.

Israel can have the genuine security and recognition it has sought for so long. The Palestinian people can, at long last, realize their aspirations to live free in safety, in charge of their own destiny.

So on behalf of all the people of the United States, let me say to the Israeli and Palestinian peoples -- Salaam, Shalom, peace be with you in the hard and hopeful days ahead.

We value our friendship and we thank you for your trust, for giving us the opportunity to walk this road with you.

Now it is my privilege to introduce Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Let me say I was, once again, extraordinarily impressed by the energy, the drive, the determination, the will, the complete grasp of every detailed aspect of every issue that this prime minister brought to these talks.

He showed himself willing to take political risks for peace but not to risk the security of his people. And as a result, this agreement embodies an enormous increase in the security of the people of Israel.